Get to know the new We-Transform project!

Transport automation and digitisation challenge the labour market:

European H2020 project We-TRANSFORM uses collective intelligence to create knowledge on the repercussions

We-Transform, an H2020 European Project started in December 2020, will generate an evidence-based and action-oriented agenda to tackle the challenges connected to the effects of automation on the transport labour force.

THE PROBLEM

The increasing provision of new transport services through ICT and automation stimulates demand for new labour skills. The acceleration of this process has a considerable quantitative and qualitative impact on the workforce (WMU, 2019). Therefore, it is crucial for policy makers to accommodate the workforce skills adaptation to this new era (McKinsey, 2019).

However, there is a significant deficit of knowledge about the mutual influence of automation and the labour market (Casey, 2019). Though several studies were conducted on the wider transport, shipping, aviation and logistics sectors, research remains fragmented. An overview of the priorities of stakeholders regarding the effects of automation on all transport modes (including the new forms of mobility and logistics) is still pending. This is a large task, due to the high number of involved parties and the necessary dialogue with social partners and trade unions.

THE SOLUTION

The first task to address the repercussions of digitisation and automation across the transport chain is to acknowledge their multiple facets. It requires a structured approach through an inclusive consultation incorporating existing and upcoming stakeholders. We-Transform aims at promoting collectively prioritized themes on the future of jobs and working conditions related to digitalisation and automation of the transport sector. To reach this aim, it will set-up a collaborative platform producing user-friendly and shareable knowledge and supporting durable and effective innovations matching the evolving reality of workers.

THE METHOD

We-Transform will create a Stakeholder Forum, which will meet several times during the project. Stakeholders from different EU regions will be involved through partners of the consortium. The Stakeholder Forum and the Advisory Board (technical and marketing advisors of the project) will contribute to stakeholders’ involvement in a cross-national living hub, which will be set up within the project to enable a collaborative learning process among participants. Several techniques will help collect data and produce knowledge (e.g., interviews, public consultations, serious game activities). The collected information will be then analysed to generate the action-oriented agenda for policy makers to use.

The project was awarded under the Call H2020-MG-2018-2019-2020 of the H2020 Programme. The consortium, composed of the following 34 partners, is coordinated by POLITECNICO DI TORINO: UIC, Mercedes-Benz, STS, POLIS, FS SPA, ERTICO ITS Eur, VPF, AustriaTech, Leonardo, TTI, Trainose, FILT CGIL, FIT CISL, UIL Trasporti, EMT Valencia SA, ATTIKO Metro AE, CILT(UK) Polska, LGI, BT, EF, VIRTECH OOD, UAegean, SURREY, VEDECOM, UWA, MP, TNV, Six Seconds, Advanis Inc., KIU, Nagoya Univ, UNLV, KEOLIS.

To get involved, please contact Cristina Pronello (Project Coordinator, cristina.pronello@polito.it) or Manon Coyne (Communication, mcoyne@polisnetwork.eu).